The Ecologies Bizarre Biomes Card Game can serve either as an expansion to introduce variety to the base Ecologies game deck, or can be played as a stand-alone game. Gameplay is identical to the original Ecologies, but, as the name suggests, focuses on less obvious habitats – such as caves, mangroves, and even cities. Each habitat introduced also has distinct Healthy Ecology bonuses. This version further introduces new Biotic and Abiotic Cards with unique effects. Includes 77 new organism cards, 21 biome cards, 5 Biotic Factor cards, 5 Abiotic Factor Cards, and instructions for play. For 1-6 players, with a playing time of 30-60 minutes.
Ecologies Bizarre Biomes Card Game
- Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
Description
The second game in the series, it is playable as a stand alone game or used in combination with the original ECOLOGIES card game.
Players build and maintain food webs in diverse environments. Healthy ecologies reward you with bonus powers and perks. Watch out though, as others may decide it’s easier to disturb and degrade your ecosystem than nurture their own.
Designed by a biology teacher, the game includes 77 unique organisms, 7 biomes, and beautiful vintage Victorian art. (108 cards total)
Players: 1-6
Ages: 12+ (8+ with simplified rules)
Time: 60-90 minutes
Game Modes: Standard, Simplified, Single Player
Cards are arranged with plants on the bottom and predators on top. Players negotiate trades and use biotic and abiotic factor cards to affect their webs and the webs of players around them. It is a race to get to 12 victory points, with players using different strategies such as focusing on one biome, going for perks and bonuses, or disrupting other ecologies.
Gameplay is rooted in authentic science, as it is used in the classroom to teach real concepts to biology students. While it is scientific enough for the classroom, it is also strategic enough for any game night.
The points system is based on ecological trophic levels. The producers (plants) are worth less and as you make your way up the pyramid organisms are worth more, as it takes a lot of energy to sustain them. In real life only roughly 10% of the energy makes it from one level to the next, meaning you have to have acres of land and hundreds of animals just to sustain one apex predator.
This game is a sequel AND an expansion. When using the game as an expansion, you can customize the deck to include cards from both games, including cards you love and excluding ones you don’t. Some players love aggressive “take that” mechanics, while others find them stressful. Some players love particular healthy ecology bonuses, while others feel they are overpowered. With multiple decks, you can create a customized experience to fit your group.
If you’d like to maintain the same game length and feel, we recommend choosing 10 factor cards and 7 different biomes.
Note: more cards = a longer game
It's a dog-eat-dog world in Ecologies – well, actually, it's a dog-eat-rat world, ecologically speaking! The goal of this delightfully educational game is to create sustainable ecosystems across environments such as Desert, Grassland, and Ocean. Beautifully illustrated cards serve as these Biomes, as well as the Plants and Animals within them. Players take turns drawing and playing cards to create balanced ecologies. For instance, a healthy temperate forest ecology contains blackberries (producing plant), bees (to feed on the blackberries), frogs (to eat the bees), hawks (to eat the frogs), and earthworms (to decompose everything). Once a biome is complete, it offers bonuses ranging from points, to extra cards, to sabotaging another player's ecosystem. The trick is that players can only play cards "up" the food chain, and players are limited to a small handful of cards, often leaving half-finished ecosystems worth very few points. To alleviate this danger, players are encouraged to make trades – sometimes asymmetrical – with their competitors. It's not uncommon for players to offer up a fistful of unusable animals in exchange for the one missing link they need to complete their ecosystem! Adding another element of unpredictability are powerful Biotic and Abiotic Factor cards, providing bonuses to oneself or inflicting setbacks upon opponents. With gorgeous John James Audubon-style artwork, open gameplay, and vocabulary and animal diet information galore, this game is equally at home as a science supplement or a family game. For 1-6 players, with a playing time of 30-60 minutes. Each edition contains all-new biomes, animals, and Biotic and Abiotic factor cards, and can be played standalone or mixed with the original game.
| Product Format: | Other |
|---|---|
| Grades: | 4-AD |
| Brand: | Montrose Biology |
| EAN/UPC: | 860003217719 |
| Length in Inches: | 3.5625 |
| Width in Inches: | 2.5625 |
| Height in Inches: | 1.6875 |
| Weight in Pounds: | 0.5 |
